Examinations

An examination is a formal assessment used to measure a person’s knowledge, skills, or abilities in a specific domain. Examinations occur in education, professional certification, licensing, and recruitment, and may determine progression, degree conferral, or program entry. They involve defined tasks, time limits, and a scoring system.

Examinations vary in format and purpose. Summative assessments evaluate learning at course end, while formative assessments provide feedback for improvement. Common types include standardized tests, classroom exams, oral assessments, and practical or performance-based tasks, as well as open-book and closed-book formats.

Administration emphasizes reliability and fairness. Examiners aim for secure delivery, unbiased content, and consistent marking, using rubrics, mark schemes, or automated scoring for objective items. Institutions provide accommodations for disabilities, language learners, and other needs to improve accessibility.

Assessments employ multiple-choice, short answer, essays, problem solving, or demonstrations. Scoring may yield numeric grades, letter grades, or pass/fail outcomes, sometimes adjusted by standard-setting. Cheating is mitigated through proctoring, item randomization, secure environments, and strict policies.

Examinations influence teaching and learning by shaping curricula and assessment culture. They face criticisms such as anxiety, bias, and overreliance on high-stakes testing. Alternatives include portfolios, continuous assessment, and performance-based grading used alongside or instead of formal exams.

Historically, exams evolved from oral disputations to standardized tests and computer-based assessments. Online testing and remote proctoring have expanded access, while debates continue over fairness and measurement quality.